Going to bed at any time is not free
. Going to bed after midnight can have a negative impact on your health. We Argentines are nocturnal. And a study proves it.
The Public Opinion Studies Program of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Universidad Abierta Interamericana conducted a survey to find out what habits we have in relation to sleeping habits. The majority of those interviewed stated that they go to sleep after midnight (52.7%), while 42.9% do so between 10 p.m. and midnight. The rest said that they go to bed before 10 p.m. (4 ,4%).
These data raise doubts. Generally, it is recommended for adults to sleep at least seven hours. Less would be to increase the disorders
generated by sleep deprivation
, which, at first glance, would not be the schedule so much as the amount of sleep. But it's not like that.
Going to bed early is also essential.
"The schedule in which we sleep depends on several reasons. On the one hand, we are diurnal animals that evolved to be active during the day, exposed to sunlight, and to be in the darkness of the night in a sheltered place and sleeping," explains Diego. Golombek, doctor in Biological Sciences and scientific communicator. On the other hand, there are differences between people. "There are people whose biological clock points to earlier times and others to later times, which are called chronotypes
,
depending on which times people feel more alert or more tired."
Golombek says bedtime has to do with light exposure. "
Our clock is synchronized with light and is prepared to receive light starting in the morning
, which is the fuel of the biological clock, and towards the evening lower the intensity of light. The problem with going to bed late is that we are going to be doing everything a lot. later; having dinner later, which is also an enemy to falling asleep, and exposing ourselves more to artificial light, especially the use of screens that emit LED light at a wavelength that
stimulates the biological clock more, saying that it is day
".
Thus, the specialist warns that going to sleep later would be
"going against our evolution even if we sleep eight hours
. "
The problem here is that when the person wakes up, the first hours of daylight will have already passed, which affects the biological clock, prepared to be exposed to natural light.
Additionally, going to bed after midnight
also causes metabolic problems
. "Our hormones, our weight-regulating system, would be quite confused. Because it's going to be expecting darkness and, instead, it's getting light. This messes up the system and you can gain weight by staying up later."
Arturo Garay, Cemic Sleep Study specialist, argues that Argentines
began to fall asleep later with the pandemic
. "Isolation caused the tendency to go to bed later to increase. During all that time, many were out of phase for various reasons, such as watching series at night. The issue is that many were
rushing their rest hours
. And if that person then has to get up at six in the morning to go to work, they will be deprived of sleep. And this increases the risk of suffering the multiple negative effects of a short rest."
The study also addressed other issues. The survey revealed that 73.8% wake up during the night (daily 41.1% and sometimes another 32.7%). This means that a large percentage
does not sleep continuously during their rest hours
. The latest report on the Mental Health of the Argentine population carried out by the Social Psychology Observatory of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) coincided: 75.95% of Argentines confessed that they suffer from
sleep disorders of some kind. guy
.
Main sleep problem
Insomnia
is
the most common sleep problem. "Insomnia is a complex disorder that can have many causes. Therefore, it is important to consult with a doctor to obtain an appropriate diagnosis and treatment," clarifies neurologist specialist in sleep medicine Sofía Luján. "There are a variety of options available, and the doctor will be able to determine which is best for each patient. It is very important that people
understand the symptoms of insomnia and the treatment options available
," he adds.
Insomnia is considered a chronic condition when
it lasts more than three months
. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, anxiety, depression, medications, medical disorders, and certain lifestyle habits.
There are a series of
tips
in order to prevent insomnia and improve our quality of sleep.
● Establish a regular sleep routine and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
● Create a relaxing sleep environment, such as darkening the room, reducing noise and regulating the temperature (ideally between 18 and 22 degrees).
● Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime.
● Take short naps, if necessary, but not after the afternoon.
● If possible during the day, expose yourself to natural light as it organizes us and makes the moment of sleep clearer for the brain and the sleep processes are more forceful.
● Reduce the consumption of substances such as caffeine, theine and mateine. Avoid ingesting it and alcohol around bedtime.
● Stay away from screens before going to sleep.
● Do not look at the time on alarm clocks, try to fall asleep again without knowing how much we slept and how much we still have to sleep.
● If we sleep poorly one night, do not try to extend the time spent in bed or go to bed during the day.
ACE